Objectives
The course aims to: -develop and encourage students' interest in the languages, literature and culture of the classical world, by providing a broadly based and challenging curriculum including course-units that are innovative and stimulating, informed by the research expertise of the teaching staff, and examined by a range of methods of assessment; -provide the opportunity to focus on English Literature of the medieval period; -advise and suggest course units which best exploit the interactions between the subjects of Latin and English Literature; -enable students to read an ever-growing range of ancient authors in the original, with accuracy, fluency and enjoyment; -provide students with progressive language courses in Latin, starting from elementary, intermediate or advanced level, consolidating any existing knowledge of the language(s) and developing particularly reading knowledge but also some active competence and other language-based and language-related skills; -train students in the methods, techniques and approaches necessary for the critical study of Latin literature, based on extensive reading of classical texts, studied both in the original language(s) and in translation; help students to work independently and to organise effectively their own schedules of personal study; -produce graduates with the transferable cognitive skills necessary to equip them for employment, postgraduate study, or further training.
Course description
Course description
Joint-honours Latin and English is based on the study of Latin language and literature in each of the three years of study, pursued in parallel to the full range of English studies (options include writings from Middle English, the Renaissance, historical and contemporary English Language, and cultural theory). It is taken by students who begin Latin at University (programme 2) as well as post A-level students (programme 1). Where appropriate, texts for literary and historical course units are studied in Latin. There is a wide range of styles of teaching, including lectures, seminars, small-group tutorials and virtual seminars via the web.
Course content for year 1
In your first year you will study the two subject areas equally. In Latin you will study courses in Latin language, Latin literature and either a further Latin literature unit or a unit in Greek language or literature. In English you will study three course units from English & American Studies (courses available cover literature, cultural theory, English language, Anglo-Saxon studies and Middle English studies).
Course content for year 2
In the second year you can continue to study the two areas equally or weight your studies toward your preferred subject. You will take further Latin courses covering literature and language as well as two courses from those on offer in English & American Studies. The final two courses can be selected from either subject.
Course content for year 3
Please note that reference to modules is intended to be a guide only - course content or availability may change slightly as we aim to improve and update our courses yearly.
In your third year you complete your study of Latin language with a final course unit as well as taking a Latin literature course. In addition you will take two English courses from a selection that covers twentieth-century literature (eg War and Peace: British Poetry 1900-1923, James Joyce and Ulysses, Three Modern Dramatists), literature from the Renaissance to 1900 (eg Shakespeare's Political Plays, Eighteenth-Century Poetry, Aesthetes and Decadents), aspects of culture (eg Language and Colonialism, Contemporary British Culture, The Graphic Novel), medieval language and literature (eg Anglo-Saxon Art and Archaeology, Early English Drama), language studies (eg English Names and Naming, English Dialects) and even creative writing.
Finally, you will write a thesis on a classical subject of your choice - the thesis is your chance to carry out your own independent study of the classical past. You may choose to write a double-unit thesis (of 10-12,000 words).
Career opportunities
A classical degree (especially one including a language element) opens many doors and is highly prized by employers. We see our graduates take up jobs in museum or gallery management, publishing, the media, the Civil Service, industry, banking, accountancy, retail management and law, as well as teaching.
